Police have made a nationwide appeal for sightings of missing day Tom Phillips - and his three children - who were last seen in January.

Phillips, and his children Jayda, Maverick and Ember, have been the subject of aerial, bush and shoreline searches around the Waikato region since he failed to reappear in the Te Kuiti District Court on 12 January on a charge of making a false statement.

He and the children were officially reported as missing by family members on 18 January.
In late January, Police were made aware his vehicle, a ute, had been left parked on Mangatoa Road near the Mangatoa Track.

Police said today the children's disappearance had caused their mother and family "extreme stress and anxiety".

In a fresh appeal this morning, Waikato West Area Commander Inspector Will Loughrin urged anyone with information about the quartet's possible location to come forward; that includes even if they knew of a new family group in their community - "specifically a father and three school aged-children".

"We are mindful the photos we have made public to date may now not accurately depict what Tom and the children look like," Loughrin said.

"When Tom Phillips was last seen by family in February, he had a beard and that alone will make him look considerably different than in the photos we have circulated."

The children's appearance will have also changed since they were last seen by family in January.

"They will be taller; they will have either lost baby teeth or started to get their adult teeth and will likely be wearing their hair in different styles.

They could also be using different names, Loughrin said.

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"If you think you may have seen them, or know where they are, we want the opportunity to follow up that information."

Police continue to have regular contact with their extended family, with Loughrin adding:

"I want to acknowledge both the children's mother, and Tom's wider family who continue to be living with extreme stress and anxiety."

On 9 February, Phillips returned to a family member's home in the middle of the night to take supplies.

He did not appear to have the children with him as they were not sighted.

Since that time there have been multiple reports of sightings - most in the Waikato region. None had panned out.